Sales recorder



June '29', 1954 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 O. J. LE BOEUF SALES RECORDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oscar J. LeBoeuf INVENTOR.

0. J. LE BOEUF SALES RECORDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 Oscar J. LeBoeuf INVENTOR n F x A m9 v: m5 0 n e 3m -Q L Q& 8w g v n A June 29, 1954 J LE BOEUF 2,682,219

' SALES RECORDER Filed Dec. 21, 1951 4 Sheets-Shea: 3

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Oscar J. LeBoeuf INVENTOR.

June 29, 1954 o. J. LE IBOEUF SALES RECORDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 2 fi QT. mvwv I 0% mm; H R Q V9 E1 m2 Nu m 8 on 2 7 mm mm\ D W vmwv m w t Oscar J. LeBoeuf IN VEN TOR.

BY non yaw; HM

Patented June 29, 1954 ATENT OFFICE SALES RECORDER Oscar J. Le Boeuf, Gary, Ind. Application December 21, 1951, Serial No. 262,691

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a sales recorder and particularly to a sales recorder having a sales slip which is maintained in inaccessible relation to the operator of the machine and can only be recovered by an authorized person having a key therefor.

In the operation of cash business transactions, it is customary to provide sales slips and to give one of the slips to a customer while the operator maintains the other slip for comparison in the event of a future transaction involving the business. It has been found that some employees are dishonest and in conjunction with customers they make intentional mistakes which are exceedingly costly to the employer. Particularly after the combination of the transaction is known it is frequently possible for a dishonest or disreputable employee to substitute sale slips in the machine so that the cash customer may take advantage of the same. The present invention provides a device in which multiple sales slips are used, one to be given to the customer, another to be maintained for inspection and at least a third slip will be maintained inaccessible to the employee or the customer in an inaccessible lock box where it will be impossible to make substitutions or changes in the sales slip which will be stored away for future reference.

The machine according to the invention comprises a device for holding a roll of multiple layer sales slips and sealing the same so that they cannot be tampered with. The sales slips are passed through an opening through which the sales record can be made after which the time is stamped on the sales record and the sales record is fed out of the machine one to the customer, at least one to the establishment and a third one going through a hidden channel into a completely locked box where it will be cut off from a strip and maintained until the operator with the authorizing key removes the box and removes the slips therefrom.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved sales record machine.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tamper-proof sales record machine.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sales record machine in which at least one strip is maintained inaccessible to the operator.

It is further object ,of this invention to provide I an automatic machine for delivering the sales slips.

It is further object of this invention to provide a machine which can be completely closed to be tamper proof.

It is further object of this invention to provide a sales slip machine in which certain operations are made in sequence on the sales slip.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sales record machine in which a copy of the sales transaction is deposited in a locked box.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sales record machine having means to protect the. sales record against alteration.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sales recorder according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the sales recorder and broken into two parts 2a and 2b for convenience;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the delivery end of the recorder and taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2a;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section through the driving mechanism and taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 44 of Figure 2a;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-section looking through the delivering end of the recorder and taken substantially on the plane indicated 'by the line 55 of Figure 2a;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-section through the feed and embossing rolls taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 66 of Figure 2b;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the locking mechanism for the recorder;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sales slip arrangement; and

Figure 9 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical control system for the recorder.

I In the exemplary embodiment the recorder is provided with a casing ill to which is removably secured a lock box l2 for receiving and maintaining in confidence the sales slips from the machine l0. 7

The casing i0 is provided with a bottom It, upstanding side Walls I6 and I8 and a top 22.

A transverse axle 24 is mounted transversely of the casing l0 adjacent one end thereof and is provided with a clamping roller 26 on which can be mounted a plurality of sales slips preferably in the form of a plurality of or multiple layer slips arranged in roll formation so that a plurality of the layers of slips may be simulta- 3 neously fed from the roller. A door 28 is hinged at 30 to the top of the container and is provided with a lock 32 so that unauthorized persons cannot tamper with the roll of sales Slips 3a.

A support 30 is provided adjacent the top of the casing I and provides a surface 40 over which the sales slips are passed. A feed roller 42 mounted on an axle 44 which is journaled in bearings 46 and 40, mounted respectively on the walls I6 and I8. One end of the roller 42 is provided with a sprocket gear 50 on which is mounted a sprocket chain 52 for supplying power to the roller 42, from a source presently to be described.

An idler roller 54 is mounted on the shaft 56 mounted in bearing blocks 58 and 60 which are slidably mounted in bearin blocks 62 and 64 which are in turn mounted in a detachable hood 06 which has a lower interlockin hood 68 interlocked with an inturned edge 10 of the side I8 of the casing. The opposite side 12 of the hood 66 interfits with the side I6 of the casing and is provided with a latch receiving keeper 14 for engaging the latch 18 of the lock 18. The idler roll 54 is resiliently pressed toward the drive roller 42 by means of the springs 30 and 82. The idler roll 54 is preferably provided with indicia affixing devices such as the embossing figures 84 whereof when the idler roller turns on the sales slips carried over the feed roller 42 the proper indicia will be pressed thereon.

The top 22 is provided with a record opening 86 through which access may be had to a portion of the sales slips and the recording surface 40. A slide closure 88 is mounted in grooves 90 and 02 and provided with a thumb handle 84 for slidin the closure 88. The closure 88 is provided with a latch keeper 96 to receive the latch (not shown) carried by the lock 18 so that the closure may be moved into place and locked to prevent tampering with any sales slips which may be exposed on the recording surface 40.

A housing I00 is mounted on the top 22 and contains therein a time imprinting device I02 for imprinting on the sales slips mounted on the surface 40 the exact time to the fraction of a second of the transaction taking place.

A guide I04 is provided between the roll 38 and the feed roll 42. Preferably the guide I04 is providcd with side flanges I01 and I08 for maintaining the sales slips in proper alignment between the ro-ll 36 and the surface 40.

A knife edge I06 is provided adjacent the housing I00 for separating the layers of sales slips so that a plurality of layers of sales slips will be deflected upwardly onto a delivery surface I06. A cutter bar IIO extends across the top 22 and is provided with a serrating cutting edge II 2 for severin the sales slips which are fed onto the delivery platform I08. A cover H4 has a front edge H6 interlocked with the rear end III! of the delivery platform I08 while the rear end of the cover H4 is mounted on a bracket I20 adjacent the rear end of the housing I0 and securedin place by means of the lock I22. The guide surface I24 which is substantially a continuation of the support 38 is mounted on brackets I28 secured to the side walls I6 and I8 so that the surface I24 and the cover II4 providea closed channel extending along the top of the casing I 0. A driven feed roll I30 is provided for drawing the strip of sales slips through the covered channel. The feed roll I30 is journaled on a shaft I32 which is journaled in brackets I34 and I36 mounted on the side walls I6 and I 8 respectively. The feed roll I 30 is provided with a sprocket gear I38 on which the sprocket chain 52 is entrained so that the gears I38 and 50 are secured together by means of the sprocket chain 52 so that the rolls 42 and I30 are driven in unison.

The feed roll I30 is provided with a driving gear I40 which is adapted to mesh with a pinion I42 on a motor I44 which is mounted in a housing I46. The gear I40 is provided with a discontinuity I48 for a purpose presently to be explained.

An idler I50 is mounted on a shaft I52 the ends of which are mounted in bearing blocks I54 and I56 which are slidably mounted in bearing housings I58 and I60 which are housed in ears I62 and I64. The bearing blocks I54 and I56 are resiliently biased to urge the idler roller I50 against the feed roll I30 by means of springs I66 and I68. The surface of the idler roll is provided with roughened surfaces for masserrating the surface of the sales slips so that it will be impossible to make erasures or changes thereof without destroying the paper. A support surface I12 mounted on brackets I13 is substantially aligned with the support I24 and in cooperation with the cover II4 provides a continuously covered channel I15 to a portion adjacent the rear wall of the casing. The casing I0 is provided with an opening I14 which can be covered by a slidable knife I16 which is mounted in proximity to the rear wall I18 and is firmly urged into closing position by means of a spring I80. The rear wall I18 and the casing are provided with hinge projection I82 and I84 in which is engaged the hinged portion I86 on the box I2. The cars I88 on the box and I on the casing are secured together by means of a padlock I92 so that the box cannot be removed from the end of easing until the lock has been removed. The box I2 is provided with a key cam I84 which enters a cam slot I86 for engaging the cam side I98 of the sliding cutter I16 and move it downwardly to uncover the opening I14 in the rear wall I 18 of the casing I0. Likewise the rear wall I18 is provided with a key cam 200 which extends through a key slot 202 to actuate the cam slot 204 of a sliding door 206 mounted on the interior of the box I2 and urged into closing position for the opening 208 on the box I2 by means of a spring 2I0. It will thus be seen that the positioning of the box I2 adjacent to and in contact with the rear wall I18 will cause the cam keys I94 and 200 to open the sliding gate to provide a passage between the casing I0 and the interior of the box I2.

A sliding cutter 2 I 2 reciprocates on the surface of the sliding cutter I16 and is actuated by a bell crank M4 to reciprocate across the opening and to out off the sales slips which are fed through the covered channel so that they may drop in the box I2.

Solenoid 220 having an armature 222 is mounted on the bottom of the casing I0 and is connected to a lever arm 224 which is connected by a shaft 226 to a lever arm 228, the arm 224 having a stud 230 engaging the bell. crank H6 and the lever arm 228 having a stud 232 engaging the bell crank 2| 4 so that actuation of the solenoid 220 causes its armature to move inwardly to rotate the levers 224 and 228 to oscillate the bell cranks 2 I4 and 2I6 to reciprocate the cutter I I2. The solenoid 240 is also mounted on the base of the casing I0 immediately below the housing I00 provided with an armature 242 on which is mounted a yoke 244 for operating the imprinting mechanism I02. A spring 246 normally urges the yoke 244upward to maintain the time imprinting device I02 spaced from the sales slips mounted on the recording surface 40.

Armature 222 is normally biased to inoperative position by means of the spring 246.

The sequential control arrangement for the recorder comprisesa lever 250 mounted on a bracket 252 and carrying a pawl 254 which is biased by spring 256 against the lower surface of the roll I to make contact with a shoulder 258 of a groove 260 out into the roller adjacent one end thereof. A locking plate 262 is keyed on the shaft I32 by means of a key 264. The locking plate 262 is provided with a locking slot 266 for engaging a detent 268 of a control switch presently to be described. The roller I30 is provided with a locking slot 210 and a cam surface 212 for controlling the detent 268.

The electrical connections for operating the device comprises a feed line 280 having one ter minal connected to a switch element 282 mounted on an insulating block 284. The switch element 282 is normally spring biased into contact with the terminal 286 which is connected in parallel to the end turns of the solenoids 220 and 240. When the detent 268 is in the locking slots 258 and 210 the natural bias of the member 282 maintains it in contact with the terminal 286. The output terminals of the solenoids 220 and 240 are connected to one terminal of a switch 288, the handle of which is mounted outside the casing for manual'operation to start or initiate the operation of the device. a

In the operation of the device assuming that the feed roll I30 is in locked position so that the switch 282 makes contact with the terminal 286 for connecting the solenoids 220 and 240, closure of the switch 288 will apply an impulse to the solenoids 220 and 240 so that the arma tures 222 and 242 will be actuated. The actuation of the solenoids 240 will cause the imprint ing device I02 to descend into contact with the sales slips 300 and print indicia 302 thereon. Simultaneously the solenoids 220 will pull in its armature 222 and actuate the cutter 2I2 to cut off the sales slips which has been projected into the box I2 so that it is deposited therein and will be immovable therefrom until an operator who has a key to the slot 284 has opened the box I2. Simultaneously with the cutting off of the sales slip the lever 250 will be operated about the bracket 252 so that the pawl 254 will pro-- duce a rotating motion of the shaft I82 so that the cut-out portion I48 of the gear I40 may be brought into contact with the pinion I42 and the cam surface 212 will force the detent 268 out of the locking groove 266 while the loss mechanism 306 is taken up so that the removal of the detent allows the locking plate 262 to move so that it holds the detent in closed position against the terminal 3I0 which closes a circuit of the motor I44 which will then turn the pinion I42 to drive the gear I40 until the pinion again strikes the cut-out portion I48. Simultaneously to the discontinuity of the pinion I42 and the cut-out portion I48, the locking slot of the locking plate 262 will arrive under the detent 258 and allow the switch member 282 to move away from the contact terminal (H0 and stop operation of the motor I44. Likewise, the switch element 282 will again make contact with the terminal 286 so that again pressing the starter button 288 will again initiate the operation of the machine. It will thus be seen that there has been provided a casing all portions of which can be locked against unauthorized tam- 6. pering. Likewise a device has been provided in which sales slips may be fed through a recording surface so that proper notations may be made thereon after which by pressing a button one or more of the sales slips may be delivered onto a delivery surface and torn off for delivery to the customer and the usual filing thereof. Likewise an auxiliary copy of the sales slips will be fed through the secret covered channel where it will be protected against erasures or other meddlesome operations. The sales slips passing through the channel effectually being clipped off and stored in a safety box provided for the purpose. It will likewise be seen that the removal of the safety box will close all openings into both the box and the machine so that no unauthorized slips can be deposited therein.

After the indicia has been printed on the sales slip the starter button is closed so that the time is put on the sales slip at the time the preceding slip is clipped off in the locked box. Simultaneously the feeding operation of these rollers will be started so that the sales slips will be fed upon one complete revolution of the feed roll.

It is obvious that the feed roll must have a circumference exactly equal to the width of the sales slip so that a complete sales slip will be fed forward at each revolution of the feed roll.

For purposes of exemplification a particular embodiment of this device has been shown and described accordingly to the best present understanding thereof, however, it will be apparent,

that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of invention;

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A sales recording device comprising a casing, a shaft supporting a roll of multiple layer sales slips in said casing, said casing having an access opening to said shaft, locking means inhibiting unauthorized access to said shaft, a support surface mounted in said casing, a driven feed roll mounted between said shaft and said support surface, said feed roll being operative to feed sales slips from said shaft to said supporting surface, said casing having a record opening communica-ting with a portion of said support surface, a time imprinting means communicating with a portion of said support surface, means sequentially actuating said time imprinting means and said feed roll, a knife edge adapted to separate the layers of said multiple layer sales slips, a sales slip delivery surface, a portion of said layers being delivered to said sales Slip delivery surface, a covered channel in said casing, a portion of said layers passing through said channel, a slip receiving box detachably connected to said casing, said box having a slip receiving opening, said casing having a cooperating opening, said channel communicating with said opening, said box having a closure for said slip receiving opening, resilient means urging said closure to closing position, a cam slot in said box, and a cam on said casing adapted to enter said cam slot, whereby said closure is retracted when said box is positioned with said opening in communication.

2. A'sales recording device comprising a casing, a shaft supporting a roll of multiple layer sales slips in said casing, said casing having an access opening to said shaft, locking means inhibiting unauthorized access to said shaft, a support surface mounted in said casing, a driven feed roll mounted between said shaft andsaid support surface, said feed roll being operative to feed sales slips from said shaft to said supporting surface, said casing having a record opening communicating with a portion of said support surface, a time imprinting means communicating with a portion of said support surface, means sequentially actuating said time imprinting means and said feed roll, a knife edge adapted to separate the layers of said multiple layer sales slips, a sales slip delivery surface, a portion of said layers being delivered to said sales slip delivery surface, a covered channel in said casing, a portion of said layers passing through said channel, a slip receiving box detachably connected to said casing, said box having a slip receiving opening, said casing having a cooperating opening, said channel communicating with said opening, a gate for said channel, resilient means urging said gate into closed position, a cam key slot in said casing, and a cam key mounted on said box, said cam key entering said cam key slot to open said gate when said box and said casing are positioned with said openings in communication.-

3. A sales recording device comprising a casing, means supporting a multiple layer roll of sales slips in said casing, a slip supporting surface, a feed r011 transferring multiple layer sales slips from said roll to said supporting surface, said casing having an opening exposing a portion of the top layer of the slips on said support, time imprinting means mounted over a portion of the top sales slip on said support, means for separating said layers of sales slips, a channel receiving one of said sales slips, a feed roll draw" ing said sales slip through said channel, a cutter mounted transverse of said channel, a solenoid operatively connected to said time imprinting means, a second solenoid operatively connected to said cutter, a motor, said feed rolls being operatively connected together, a pinion operated by said motor, a drive gear secured on one of said feed rolls for engagement with said pinion, a discontinuity in said drive gear, a two way switch in said casing, a switch element biased to close said switch in a predetermined position,

a locking plate for said feed roll, a locking slot in said locking plate, a detent on said biased switch element entering said locking slot, a lost motion connection between said feed roll and said locking plate, a cam slot in said roll, said detent entering said cam slot when engaging the locking slot in said locking, plate, and lever means actuated by energization of one of said solenoids rotating said feed roll a predetermined amount to move said discontinuity past said pinion, said out of the locking slot and closing said switch in its second position, said switch thereby deenergizing said solenoids and energizing said motor, manual switch means for initiating said operation.

4. In a sales recording device having a cutter and a feed roll, a sequential control comprising, a shaft, said feed roll journaled on said shaft, a locking plate fixed on said shaft, a selector switch, a switch element biased to select one terminal of said switch, a solenoid, said solenoid being connected to said one terminal, a motor, said motor being connected to another terminal of said serector switch, a pinion driven by said motor, a drive gear on said feed roll, a section of teeth removed from said drive gear, a locking slot in said locking plate, a cam slot in said feed roll, a detent on said biased switch element, said detent entering said slots to close said one terminal of said selector switch, a lever pivoted adjacent said roll, one end of said lever being operatively connected to said solenoid, a shoulder on said roll, a spring pressed pawl on said lever and engaging said pawl, a lost motion connection between said roll and said locking plate, and a starting switch, said starting switch when closed energizing said solenoid, said solenoid when energized oscillating said lever and rotating said feed roll whereby said pinion engages said drive gear and said cam lifts said detent out of said slots deenergizing said solenoid and energizing said motor.

5. A sales recording device comprising a casing, means supporting a multiple layer roll of sales slips in said casing, a slip supporting surface, a feed roll transferring multiple layer sales slips from said roll to said supporting surface, said casing having an opening exposing a portion of the top layer of the slips on said support, a time imprinting means mounted over a portion of the top sales slip on said support, means for separating said layers of sales slips, a channel receiving one of said sales slips, a feed roll drawing said sales slip through said channel, a cutter mount-ed transverse of said channel, a solenoid operatively connected to said time imprinting means, a second solenoid operatively connected to said cutter, a motor, said feed rolls being operatively connected togethena sequential control comprising, a shaft, said second mentioned feed roll journaled on. said shaft, a locking plate fixed on said shaft, a selector switch, a switch element biased to select one terminal of said switch, said motor being connected to another terminal of said selector switch, a pinion driven by said motor, a drive gear on said feed roll, a section of teeth removed from said drive gear, a locking slotin said locking plate, a cam slot in said feed roll, a detent on said biased switch element, said detent entering said slots to close said one terminal of saidselector switch, a lever pivoted adjacent said roll, one end of said lever being operatively connected to said second solenoid, a shoulder on said roll, a spring pressed pawl on said lever and engaging said pawl, a lost motion connection between said roll and said locking plate, and a starting switch, said starting switch when closed energizing both of said solenoids, said second solenoid when energized oscillating said lever and rotating said feed roll whereby said pinion engages said drive gear and said cam lifts said detent out of said slots deenergizing said solenoids and energizing said motor. rotation causing said cam slot to lift said detent References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,302 Ireland W Apr. 30, 1918 1,269,979 Tily et al June 18, 1918 1,736,034 Cooper Nov. 19, 1929 1,836,546 Oliver Dec. 15, 1931 1,909,006 Pfeiffer May 16', 1933 1,930,447 Borchers Oct. 10, 1933 1,999,928 Healy Apr. 30, 1935 2,017,195 Anderson et al Oct. 15, 1935 2,150,761 1 Craig et a1 Mar. 14, 1939 2,522,784 Guilbert Sept. 19, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 281,368 Great Britain Nov. 30, 1927 

